Field of the Invention
This invention pertains to products and methods for personal care, particularly personal care compositions and methods of use for reducing or preventing unwanted perspiration or odor associated with perspiration.
Description of Related Art
Many people seek to avoid the embarrassment or discomfort associated with perspiration or associated odors. Bacteria such as Corynebacteria feed off materials in the sweat, particularly the apocrine sweat glands found under the arms and elsewhere, and produce unpleasant odors. Many people purchase antiperspirants or deodorants for underarm use, for example, to mask odors or reduce perspiration.
Unfortunately, the metal-containing compounds such as aluminum salts that are widely used for their ability to reduce perspiration have been the subject of as-yet unresolved concerns about their long-term health effects. Some people are allergic to aluminum and may suffer contact dermatitis after using aluminum-containing antiperspirants. Some reports have linked aluminum-containing antiperspirants with the systemic accumulation of aluminum in the body, which may be a risk factor for Alzheimer's disease or breast cancer. See, for example, C. Exley. “Does Antiperspirant Use Increase the Risk of Aluminium-Related Disease, Including Alzheimer's Disease?,” Molecular Medicine Today 4 (3): 107-9 (March 1998); K. G. McGrath K G, “An Earlier Age of Breast Cancer Diagnosis Related to More Frequent Use of Antiperspirants/Deodorants and Underarm Shaving,” European Journal of Cancer Prevention, 12 (6): 479-85 (December 2003); and P. D. Darbre, “Underarm Antiperspirants/Deodorants and Breast Cancer,” Breast Cancer Research 11 (Suppl 3):S5(2009), http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2797685/?tool=pmcentrez. Such compounds are also capable of staining clothing, often leading to an unwanted yellowness on white fabric, for example. Such aluminum-based compounds include ammonium zirconyl compounds such as those described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,025,615, issued May 24, 1977 to Rubino, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,888,486 issued Mar. 30, 1999 to Steinberg and O'Lenick; both of which are herein incorporated by reference to the extent that they are noncontradictory herewith.
Efforts to provide aluminum-free deodorants for underarm use include products with synthetic antibacterial agents such as Triclosan, which at high levels have prompted concerns by some groups. Bacterial inhibition has also been attempted with botanical ingredients such as Phellodendron Amurense Bark Extract which is said to help inhibit sweat-induced odor. However, both synthetic and bio-derived ingredients previously used for this purpose may cause irritation of the skin or may not provide other beneficial properties with respect to skin and hair in the region of application.
Given the limitations in currently available products, there is a need for deodorants and antiperspirants that are effective in preventing perspiration or associated odor on the body, while reducing perceived health risks associated with aluminum compounds or other harsh chemicals.
As used herein, “deodorants” and “antiperspirants” both refer to compositions that are effective in directly or indirectly reducing unwanted body odors associated with perspiration and/or bacteria on the surface of the skin. “Deodorants” may reduce odor through a variety of means, and such means in the various embodiments of the present invention may include suppression of bacterial activity, antimicrobial mechanisms, chemical interference with odor generation mechanisms, removal or modification of feedstuff for odor-producing bacteria, and the like. “Antiperspirants” generally work to reduce the production of perspiration, and may do so, for example, by decreasing the size of pores associated with sweat glands, blocking sweat glands, reducing the flow of blood or other fluids to sweat glands, and the like. A deodorant may function as an antiperspirant but need not do so to be a deodorant. The compositions of various embodiments of the present invention may generally be described as deodorants and in many cases may generally be described as antiperspirants, though a composition that has limited antiperspirant efficacy is not necessarily outside the scope of the claimed invention, which is defined by the claims appended hereafter.